Throw the book at them!

I walked into the huge bookstore chain, hoping my guilty expression wouldn’t give me away. Then I sneaked between two large bookcases in the back, making sure no store clerks were looking at me.

Then I pulled the fresh copy of my latest book out from under my jacket… headed to the nearest open cashier… smiled as I scanned the book’s ISBN bar… paid $21.95 for a book. A book that I already had.

I’m a shoplifter in reverse.

Why am I committing a crime against myself? I’ll explain a little later…

I am about to recommend something that I believe offers one of the highest ROIs of anything out there today. But it is also something that many people consider to be as dead as the dodo.

What I’m talking about?

Well, I’m talking about what you’re reading right now.

A book.

A book can be an incredible platform for your business: it has prestige, it has impact, and most importantly, you can promote yourself and your business through it in many different ways. Because, to be honest, it doesn’t do you any good to write a book and then put it on your shelf next to that dusty dictionary. It only makes a world of difference when you proactively use your book to expand your circle of influence, build your reputation, and impress current and potential clients.

Look at super successful people who regularly publish books, people like Donald Trump. You no longer need to write books to prove yourself – you can make so much money by giving a couple of speeches here and there. No, he, and great motivational stars like Tony Robbins and Jack Canfield, create books for the above reasons. It’s not about getting paid for the book, it’s about growing your brands.

Just look at what happens when “Donald” writes a book. Suddenly you see it everywhere: Larry King, Fox News, even The View. He gives her a whole new set of talking points and a reason to expose herself. He knows that the return on investment of a book is limitless, as long as he realizes that it’s not just a book, it’s a gigantic marketing tool. That’s why it’s something I advise all my clients to do.

MAKING YOUR BOOK REAL

The first thing you need to do is be realistic. You’re probably not creating a New York Times Bestseller here, that’s not even what you’re really looking for. You make money with a book, not with the sale of books. This is intended as a marketing tool to sell yourself and your business. Build your book with that in mind.

As with any marketing tool, you want your book to turn heads. That starts with the title: finding a way to put the book’s concept into a short, ‘punchy’, powerful statement that taps into something people want to know.

Simplicity is very important. Has there ever been a better title than “The Secret”? Well, there haven’t been many best-selling titles, anyway. At the same time, it’s a brave title, because without the book’s multimillion-dollar advertising campaign, its generic title might have left you lost in the shuffle. Since you will mostly be sharing this book with clients and prospects, and not trying to sell it to the general public to any great extent, you can get away with that kind of approach.

Of course, you’re thinking that the title is the easy part: what about the content? Well, that might also be easier than you think. Do you give seminars or create instructional materials? Have you given talks about your business? That’s content: content you had to think about and structure accordingly. By transcribing these materials, you could already have the basic skeletons of your book’s content.

What happens next depends on your available time and your confidence level. Most entrepreneurs and business people simply don’t have enough hours in the day to manage their businesses and their lives, let alone try to write a book. Many who try it just give up and don’t finish.

Then there’s the confidence factor: You may be intimidated by the idea of ​​even trying to write a book. Most people don’t even like to write a short blog.

That’s why most business people will use a ghostwriter to put their book on paper. You can find great ghostwriters online, or you can ask your business associates if they’ve worked with someone they trust.

A ghostwriter is easy to work with: either you give him the kind of transcripts we talked about earlier, or you can talk to him about the main points of the book. The important thing is to end with something that makes you feel good. If you’re going to use a book as a marketing platform, you want to make sure it’s professional, informative, and represents you and your company in the best light possible.

THREE STAGES OF MARKETING YOUR BOOK

Once you’ve finished and published your book, it’s time to get down to business. You can maximize your marketing impact not only when your book is published, but also before and after.

1) MAKE PRE-LAUNCH A PRIORITY

You want people to know that your book will be out early. Start by creating a website about the book before it is published: offer a free part of the book through an “opt-in” box that will allow you to capture potential customers. You can even feature a “countdown” to the publication date and time to build buzz.

When the website is live, post a press release announcing that you have a publishing deal, making sure to link back to your website. Distribute the press release and post it on all social networking sites.

2) GENERATE ADVERTISING ADVERTISING

Once your book is published, you can now use it to your advantage to get bookings like Donald Trump does. You probably won’t make it to “Larry King Live,” but you have a “good shot” at some local broadcast time at the very least.

Then send copies of your book to local radio and television stations, as well as print publications, and offer to be interviewed. Also include a listing on the Radio-TV Interview Report (learn more at RITR.com) to make yourself available for national interviews. You can also mail copies to your top clients, have them booked for speaking engagements at business and civic events, and host a book signing event at a local bookstore.

You can also continue to produce podcasts for distribution through iTunes with a topic like “Beyond the Book,” which offers additional/updated information and conversations about the topics covered in the book.

And remember my “reverse shoplifting” at the beginning of this chapter? Here’s why you should consider taking a copy of your book to a bookstore—and buying it there! As long as your book has a legitimate ISBN number and is available through a major distributor, two things we always do with our customers’ books, the bookstore clerk will simply scan the barcode on the book, a price will appear, and you’ll be able to buy. even though the store never stocked it in the first place. Best of all, the bookstore’s computer system will record that someone bought your book and that it’s now out of stock, meaning you may be ordering more copies of your book to sell on your own.

3) CREATE A LONG UNIQUE LIFE

Now that you’re an author, it should become an important part of your professional profile. Be sure to add it to your official bio and possibly even put the book’s name in your email signature for a limited time.

You can also break out a chapter and turn it into a free ‘special report’, available on your website via a ‘subscribe’ box. Other chapters can be turned into online articles that you can syndicate, or you can rework the material into speeches or seminar material for your personal or recorded appearances.

Your office should also reflect your author status. Put a framed copy of your book cover on the wall in your reception area or office; it’s easy to do it through canvaspop.com. Also, leave copies of your book on your office coffee table with “Take Me” stickers on the front. You should also donate copies to local libraries in your area. Make sure your contact information is included on these copies: place a business card in the book or stamp your information on the last page.